NCAA teams you won't want to face in March
- Mid-major power VCU has serious depth, returning four top scorers and adding a potent freshman class
- Drexel hasn't been to the NCAA tournament since 1996 and missed last season despite a 29-win season
- C.J. McCollum, the two–time Patriot League player of the year and star of Lehigh's upset of Duke last year, returns
To stay or to go?
That's the question many college basketball players ask themselves on whether to stay in school or attempt to make the leap to the NBA. Murray State's Isaiah Canaan was a player who chose to stay after an All-America campaign. The point guard returns as a national player of the year candidate after averaging 19 points a game and leading Murray State to a school-record 31-2 finish.
Oddly enough, his coach was in the same boat. In his first season leading the Racers, Steve Prohm guided Murray State to 23 consecutive wins to start the season. Prohm says multiple bigger schools, including Mississippi State, reached out to him but he never seriously considered leaving.
"There was never a question in my mind," Prohm says. "Murray State is home for me. I realize that success brings opportunities, but I have the chance to coach a great group of guys again."
Murray State's roster will look different, losing three starters from last season. But with Prohm and Canaan returning to Murray, Ky., the Racers enter the 2012-13 season as one of the premier sleeper teams in the country.
Here's a look at other teams that could be scary in March:
Virginia Commonwealth
VCU coach Shaka Smart was another mid-major coach who said no to leaving after being lured by bigger schools (mainly Illinois), choosing to continue making the Rams a force after a 2011 Final Four appearance and a near Sweet 16 finish last season (falling in the second round). VCU will get a chance to continue its presence on the national stage — switching from the Colonial Athletic Association to the more competitive Atlantic 10.
Why this team could bust your bracket: Smart's signature "havoc" defense, which led the nation in steals at 10.6 a game last season, can cause problems for any opponent. Plus, the Rams have serious depth, returning four top scorers and adding a potent freshman class.
Drexel
The Dragons haven't been to the NCAA tournament since 1996 and were left out of the field of 68 last season despite a 29-win season. That NCAA tournament drought should end this season with VCU leaving the CAA, a league in which Drexel went 16-2 last season.
Why this team could bust your bracket: Coach Bruiser Flint always orchestrates a menacing defense, and this team returns all of its key pieces, including point guard Frantz Massenat (13.7 points), perhaps the best player in the conference.
Saint Louis
Coach Rick Majerus' leave of absence for health issues puts a serious dent in the Billikens' plans to win the Atlantic 10. But this is a team that returns its core players and could make serious noise. Interim coach Jim Crews will direct one of the toughest defensive teams in the country. Last season, the Billkens limited opponents to 57.6 points a game.
Why this team could bust your bracket: Saint Louis lost top scorer Brian Conklin but otherwise brings virtually every notable player back. This team has tough guards, including Kwamain Mitchell, meaning it will make teams work defensively and pester teams offensively.
Illinois State
If you're looking for one of the best players in the country on one of the scariest teams, Creighton has that covered with Doug McDermott. But Illinois State is a team from the Missouri Valley Conference that is equally talented and won't be on the national radar. Former ISU player and Vanderbilt assistant Dan Muller replaces Tim Jankovich, who left for SMU, and inherits a team that seems poised to make its first NCAA tournament since 1998.
Why this team could bust your bracket: The Redbirds barely lost to Creighton in the MVC tournament final. They return four starters, and Jackie Carmichael, who averaged 17 points and 11 rebounds in the NIT, is due for a breakout season.
Sleeper players
C.J. McCollum, Lehigh: The two–time Patriot League player of the year averaged 21.9 points and 3.5 assists as a junior. But he's best remembered for scoring 30 points in the 15th-seeded Mountain Hawks' stunning upset of No. 2 seed Duke in the NCAA tournament's first round.
Tony Mitchell, North Texas: If he's not on anyone's national radar, he should be. The power forward averaged a double-double with 14.7 points and 10.3 rebounds a game last season. He might be the best low-major player in the country.
Kris Davis, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville: If the NCAA could insert a player in the NBA's three-point shootout, Davis would be the guy. He shot 59.8% from three-point land last season on an Ohio Valley team on the rise after joining Division I a few years ago.